HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda PacketCity of San Luis Obispo, Agenda, Tourism Business
Improvement District Board
Any writings or documents provided to a majority of the TBID Board regarding any item on this agenda will be made available for public
inspection in the Administration office of the City of San Luis Obispo at 990 Palm Street during normal business hours.
TBID Board Agenda
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
10:00 A.M.
City Hall- Council Hearing Room
CALL TO ORDER: Chair Nipool Patel
PUBLIC COMMENT: Each speaker is limited to two minutes of public comment for items not on
the agenda. Public comment for each agenda item will be called for separately and is also limited to
2 minutes per speaker.
State law does not allow the board to discuss or take action on issues not on the agenda, except that
members of the board may briefly respond to statements made or questions posed by the person
giving public comment. Staff may be directed by the board to follow-up on such items and/or place
them on the next board agenda.
CONSENT ITEMS
C.1 Minutes of Regular Meeting on Wednesday, December 9, 2015
C.2 Smith Travel Report
C.3 Chamber Public Relations Report
C.4 BCA + StudioGood Marketing Report
C.5 Chamber Visitor Center Report
C.6 TOT Report
PRESENTATIONS
1. MARKETING AGENCY QUARTERLY REPORT 15 mins
Representatives from BCA + StudioGood will present the activity report for the marketing
activities over the previous quarter for the SLO TBID.
2. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE QUARTERLY REPORT 15 mins
Representatives from the SLO Chamber will present the activity report for the public relations
and phone/availability contracts from the previous quarter for the SLO TBID.
3. SLO WINE MID YEAR REPORT 15 mins
Representatives from the SLO Wine Country Association will present the activity report for the
annual partnership contract status with the SLO TBID.
BUSINESS ITEMS
Public comment will be taken for each individual agenda item. Each speaker will be limited to two
minutes of public testimony.
1. HOMESTAY MEMBER WEBSITE REPRESENTATION 10 mins
The Board will receive a proposal from Studio Good for the listing of the Homestay properties
on the tourism website, SanLuisObispoVacations.com.
2. HELIUM LAUNCH APPROVAL 10 mins
The Board will review the final Helium demonstration for the consideration to launch the system
on the website.
3. SUPPLEMENTAL ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES 20 mins
The Board will receive a presentation from their marketing agencies, BCA/Studio Good on
supplemental advertising opportunities for their consideration.
4. CENTRAL COAST TOURISM COUNCIL RETREAT SPONSORSHIP 10 mins
The Board will consider a sponsorship commitment for the hosting of the Central Coast Tourism
Council Annual Planning Retreat.
5. MID-YEAR EVENT PROMOTION FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS 10 mins
The Marketing Committee will present the funding recommendations for the 2015-16 Mid-Year
Events Promotion sponsorship program.
TBID LIAISON REPORTS & COMMUNICATION
At this time board members make announcements, report on activities, refer to staff issues for study and
report back to the board at a subsequent meeting.
1. HOTELIER UPDATE – Liaison Reports
2. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE UPDATE – Minutes: December 22,2015
3. MARKETING COMMITTEE UPDATE – Refer to item B5
4. PCC UPDATE –Minutes: December 9, 2015
5. VISIT SLO COUNTY UPDATE – Liaison Reports
6. TOURISM PROGRAM UPDATE – Staff Report
ADJOURN.
POSTING STATEMENT: I, Molly Cano, Tourism Manager, do hereby certify that on January 8,
2016, by 5:00 p.m., a true and correct copy of this agenda was posted on the bulletin board outside
City Hall. Internet access to agendas and related material is available at www.slocity.org.
Minutes
Tourism Business Improvement District Board
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Regular Meeting of the
Tourism Business Improvement District Board
CALL TO ORDER
A Regular Meeting of the San Luis Obispo Tourism Business Improvement District Board was
called to order on Wednesday, December 9, 2015 at 10:02 a.m. in the Council Hearing Room,
located at 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California, by Chair Patel.
ROLL CALL
Present: Board Members Dean Hutton, LeBren Harris, Matthew Wilkins, Kimberly
Walker, and Vice-Chair Clint Pearce, and Chair Nipool Patel
Absent: None
Staff
Present: Tourism Manager Molly Cano, Recording Secretary Kevin Christian, and
Recording Secretary Brad T. Opstad
PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS
Carol Nelson-Selby, Opera San Luis Obispo, presented and distributed Opera SLO shopping
bags to the Board, noting that a city of this size has the special distinction of a professional opera
company employing 275 individuals from the arts community for each staged production;
requested to make a presentation at a future Regular Meeting.
In response to Ms. Nelson-Selby’s request, Tourism Manager Cano indicated that the January
docket was full, suggesting that the presentation can be made during the months of February or
March.
CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS
C1. MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2015
MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER WILKINS, SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER
HARRIS, CARRIED 6-0, to approve the Minutes of the Tourism Business Improvement
District Board meeting of November 18, 2015 and to approve Consent Agenda Items C1
thru C6.
C2. SMITH TRAVEL REPORT
C3. CHAMBER PUBLIC RELATIONS REPORT
City of San Luis Obispo, Title, Subtitle
Draft – Tourism Business Improvement District Board Minutes of December 9, 2015 Page 2
C4. BCA + STUDIOGOOD MARKETING REPORT
C5. CHAMBER VISITOR CENTER REPORT
C6. TOT (TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX) REPORT
PRESENTATION ITEMS
1. MARKETING AGENCY MONTHLY REPORT
Representatives from BCA + StudioGood reported successes for the month of November
relating to the launch of the website & videos; noted that the 2015-16 planning strategy
for sponsored events is in process, the new YouTube video received over 50,000 views.
Representatives from BCA + StudioGood stated that the trade show season will
commence on January 16, 2016 in San Diego with LA and SF to follow in February and
March, respectively; booth details are being strategized.. Additionally, the Cal Poly
Alumni e-blast, SLO County Visitors Guide advertisement, SF Chronicle destinations tab
and Wall Street Journal ad were discussed while the 5-second video with URL branding
and phone number to air in Times Square over Holidays was noted, adding that paid
media will be partly dedicated to pre-rolls in the first week of December with statistics to
follow. #ShareSLO blog posts are running strong for December.
Representatives from BCA + StudioGood narrated a PowerPoint slide and explained the
following metrics: Trip Advisor; Sunset.com,Bay Area News Group, and
sanluisobispo.com performed well with high click-through rates; added that Discover SD
attempted a first-run, showing ample short-term results; and explained that Google
Network Display, a re-targeting engine for tourism shoppers, performed above
expectations.
Representatives from BCA + StudioGood shared the November 19th launch news of the
new website: SanLuisObispovacations.com, stating that numbers related to its inaugural
period were substantial; added that there was a 361% increase in mobile users, affirming
that the site is mobile-friendly; explained that the new website was integrated into
#ShareSLO and performed as well as expected. #GoSLO continues to be monitored and
drop-off has occurred as suspected.
Representatives from BCA + StudioGood announced Good Morning SLO’s Wish You
Were Here postcard, showcasing the Cal Poly Athletics’ Suite event; stated that the
CCTC’s website has featured blog posts.
BUSINESS ITEMS
1. TRADESHOW DELEGATION SELECTION AND APPROACH
City of San Luis Obispo, Title, Subtitle
Draft – Tourism Business Improvement District Board Minutes of December 9, 2015 Page 3
Tourism Manager Cano reported that no member properties are available to assist with
shows this year, stating that San Diego’s booth will be staffed by City Tourism Intern
Emma Maltbaek, two agency representatives and Jim Allen of Hearst Castle, for which
no budget is required; explained that the $500 SLO Getaway prize will be extended to
entrants participating in a survey consisting of 3-5 engaging and interactive questions;
added that the new brochure, bag & sunglasses will be handed out at booth; and noted
that the primary purposes of the survey, beyond acquiring contact information, is set up
to garner feedback. The following tradeshows in Los Angeles and Bay Area will be
manned by staff, marketing agency representatives, and a Chamber of Commerce
representative.
The Board expressed that they agreed with the show strategy as presented by staff.
MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER WALKER, SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER
HUTTON, CARRIED 6-0, to approve the delegation and Chamber of Commerce
contract use.
2. 2014-15 FUND BALANCE UPDATE
Tourism Manager Cano reported there are $144,000 of unappropriated funds remaining
plus the $100,000 reserve. The Board discussed options for the use of the funds in the
2015-16 year. They discussed the idea of creating a “big idea” line item in the budget to
hold a portion of these funds, or to use the funds for advertising, or to allocate a portion
of these funds to increase the fund balance amount. Ultimately the Board directed the
management committee to explore marketing opportunities and other options to utilize
the funds.
MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER HUTTON, SECOND BY VICE-CHAIR PEARCE,
CARRIED 6-0, to transfer unappropriated funds into the current TBID operating budget.
3. HELIUM UPDATE
Staff presented three options for integration of Homestays into the Helium booking
system:
#1: Developer, Zeppelin, to build out Homestay class in Helium as detailed in their
presented Scope of Work (SOW) at a cost of $23,490 using a milestone payment model
over a 2-month timeframe. Estimate 6 weeks to delivery.
#2: Delay Helium launch to research actual Homestay property needs, refine the SOW
and present to TBID in January or February, followed by build-out pages and refining
over future months; cost to be determined, 3-month timeframe.
#3 Launch Helium as scheduled with no Homestay Property integration. Request a
proposal from StudioGood to develop homestay representation on the website. Cost to be
determined. Present timeline to TBID at January 2016 meeting.
City of San Luis Obispo, Title, Subtitle
Draft – Tourism Business Improvement District Board Minutes of December 9, 2015 Page 4
The Board discussed the options presented; expressed concerns regarding equal treatment
of homestays, timing of homestay integration, methodology, and design options for web
site integration, and the costs of integration.
John Salisbury, Homestay Operator: Expressed support for Option 3 but is concerned that
homestays not be forgotten.
MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER WILKINS, SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER
WALKER, CARRIED 6-0, to proceed with Option #3
MOTION BY VICE-CHAIR PEARCE, SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER HUTTON,
CARRIED 5-0, to direct staff to research the best method to integrate Homestays into the
website (January Proposal, February solution).
TBID LIAISON REPORTS AND COMMUNICATION
1. HOTELIER UPDATE
Vice-Chair Pearce and Board Members Hutton & Walker have e-mailed TBID members
with no return reply; the Board mentioned the open Board seat and thee upcoming
renewal; noted that the Tribune article advertised the available seat.
2. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE UPDATE
No further report.
3. MARKETING COMMITTEE UPDATE
No further report.
4. PCC UPDATE
Vice-Chair Pearce reported that the SLO Happenings application is complete; explained
that the media promotion with the 2-pronged targeted outreach plan involves event
organizers and social media; is a nice tool.
5. VISIT SLO COUNTY UPDATE
The San Luis Obispo County Tourism Marketing District (TMD) marketing plan was
approved and the “SAVOR” event had a $12,000 gain over 2014.
Board Member Walker voiced concerns about the TMD avoiding duplication of the
TBID marketing efforts.
City of San Luis Obispo, Title, Subtitle
Draft – Tourism Business Improvement District Board Minutes of December 9, 2015 Page 5
Tourism Manager Cano explained that she is a member of the TMD and assured the
board that she is sensitive to the duplication concern.
Tourism Manager Cano announced that the TMD has issued a RFP for research services
focused on both “share the wallet” and “awareness and barrier to travel”.
Tourism Manager Cano announced that a fall radio campaign is scheduled for the San
Francisco Bay and Los Angeles areas; explained that a separate countywide icon has
been developed for countywide co-branding. The icon design shows the state of
California with a pinpoint drop in circular area of the County.
6. TOURISM PROGRAM UPDATE
Tourism Manager Cano announced events sponsorship funding applications closed on the
30th, noting that six applications were received; explained that the review process has
commenced and copies can be made available to Marketing Committee and can be
available to full board members via request; noted that recommendations forthcoming in
January and will be presented at the January 2016 TBID meeting.
Central Coast Tourism Council (CCTC) retreat will be scheduled for March or April
2016. Sponsorship opportunities for the TBID as the host community will be presented
soon.
Internship Update: Fall Quarter is just ending, will return by Winter Quarter and
participate in the upcoming trade shows.
The January 28th Cal Poly Basketball game will be used as a mixer to engage property
sales teams.
December 22nd is the next Management Committee meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 11:22 a.m. to the next Regular meeting, to be held on Wednesday,
January 13, 2016.
Respectfully submitted,
Brad T. Opstad
Recording Secretary Trainee
STR Report December 2015
Week of November 29 - December 5
Percent Change
2015 2014 2015 2014 2015 2014 Occ ADR RevPAR Room Rev Room Avail Room Sold
City of Paso Robles 57.1 50.3 111.14 107.88 63.51 54.21 13.7 3.0 17.1 37.7 17.5 33.6
City of Pismo Beach 43.6 42.0 113.95 108.26 49.72 45.52 3.8 5.3 9.2 9.3 0.1 3.8
City of San Luis Obispo 54.0 47.1 110.16 102.40 59.53 48.24 14.7 7.6 23.4 23.4 0.0 14.7
Week of December 6 - 12
Percent Change
2015 2014 2015 2014 2015 2014 Occ ADR RevPAR Room Rev Room Avail Room Sold
City of Paso Robles 57.5 61.1 108.53 108.30 62.39 66.22 -6.0 0.2 -5.8 10.7 17.5 10.5
City of Pismo Beach 45.5 47.8 114.82 109.10 52.27 52.14 -4.7 5.2 0.3 0.3 0.1 -4.7
City of San Luis Obispo 59.2 57.8 115.30 111.08 68.23 64.25 2.3 3.8 6.2 6.2 0.0 2.3
Week of December 13 - 19
Percent Change
2015 2014 2015 2014 2015 2014 Occ ADR RevPAR Room Rev Room Avail Room Sold
City of Paso Robles 47.0 46.0 105.81 102.90 49.69 47.34 2.1 2.8 5.0 23.3 17.5 19.9
City of Pismo Beach 41.1 40.6 110.98 106.66 45.66 43.31 1.4 4.0 5.4 5.5 0.1 1.4
City of San Luis Obispo 44.6 43.8 102.94 99.14 45.90 43.39 1.9 3.8 5.8 5.8 0.0 1.9
Week of December 20 - 26
Percent Change
2015 2014 2015 2014 2015 2014 Occ ADR RevPAR Room Rev Room Avail Room Sold
City of Paso Robles 53.1 61.5 114.53 114.01 60.84 70.13 -13.6 0.5 -13.2 1.9 17.5 1.5
City of Pismo Beach 58.8 65.6 130.22 130.84 76.55 85.85 -10.4 -0.5 -10.8 -10.8 0.1 -10.4
City of San Luis Obispo 56.2 63.9 113.13 111.44 63.52 71.17 -12.1 1.5 -10.7 -10.7 0.0 -12.1
Week of December 27 - January 2
Percent Change
2015 2014 2015 2014 2015 2014 Occ ADR RevPAR Room Rev Room Avail Room Sold
City of Paso Robles 78.9 76.3 122.76 111.73 96.85 85.23 3.4 9.9 13.6 33.5 17.5 21.5
City of Pismo Beach 85.9 81.8 152.41 132.28 130.91 108.20 5.0 15.2 21.0 21.1 0.1 5.1
City of San Luis Obispo 81.8 77.3 118.89 109.90 97.22 84.93 5.8 8.2 14.5 14.5 0.0 5.8
December
2015 2014 2015 2014 2015 2014 Occ ADR RevPAR Room Rev Room Avail Room Sold
City of Paso Robles 59.1 61.2 114.09 109.79 67.46 67.23 -3.4 3.9 0.3 17.9 17.5 13.5
City of Pismo Beach 58.1 59.0 132.11 122.77 76.69 72.38 -1.5 7.6 6.0 6.0 0.1 -1.5
City of San Luis Obispo 60.5 60.7 113.62 108.65 68.77 65.93 -0.3 4.6 4.3 4.3 0.0 -0.3
Current Week - TY vs. LY
Occ %
Current Week - TY vs. LY
RevPARADR
Current Week - TY vs. LY
RevPAR
Running 28 Days - TY vs. LY
Occ %
Current Week - TY vs. LY
Current Week - TY vs. LY
ADR
Occ %ADR RevPAR
Occ %Percent Change
ADR RevPAR
ADR
Occ %
Occ %RevPAR
RevPARADR
Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC
Public Relations Contract
December 2015
Media Releases
City of SLO unveils newly redesigned tourism website and videos
Distributed press release regarding redesigned SanLuisObispoVacations.com and promotional
videos.
Love SLO Brings a Community-Wide Day of Service to San Luis Obispo
Edited and distributed press release for City sponsored event Love SLO.
Pacific Coast Railway Exhibit Grand Opening
Edited and distributed press release for GIA recipient SLO Railroad Museum to train enthusiast
and California History publications.
Media/Community Relations
1. Worked with Bridget Wiegman with the Milken Institute for her Best-Performing Cities
article.
2. Provided San Luis Obispo B-roll to Ryan Armstrong with the LOSSAN Rail Corridor
Agency for promotion of Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner service to SLO.
3. Pitched San Luis Obispo as the Perfect Romantic destination for Valentine’s Day to Visit
California.
4. Submitted the following for consideration in Visit California’s Top Events and Festivals:
a. SLO Film Fest
b. Roll Out the Barrels
c. Eroica California
d. SLO Jazz Festival
e. Festival Mozaic
f. Love SLO
g. SLO Marathon
h. The Central Coast Railroad Festival
5. Submitted the following for consideration in Visit California’s Unique Multigenerational
Family-Owned Businesses:
a. Cattaneo Brothers
b. Firestone Grill
c. Cafè Roma
6. Submitted the following for consideration in Visit California’s 2016 Preview:
a. Discovery SLO
b. SLO Brew move and remodel
7. Provided photos to Chip Neuenschwander with Cal Poly for use in their student affairs
promotional materials.
Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC
Public Relations Contract
December 2015
8. Pitched San Luis Obispo as a great destination for girls’ trips to Theresa Edwards with
SheKnows.com.
9. Worked with regional partners to coordinate press trip for Kim Westad of the Times
Colonist from Victoria, BC.
10. Began coordinating March 2016 press trip for Melody Pittman of Wherever I May Roam.
11. Worked with the Central Coast Tourism Council to pitched the Design Village,
Reservoir Canyon hike and SLO’s craft beer scene as Hidden Gems to be featured in
Visit California’s 8-part video series spotlighting off-the-beaten path attractions.
12. Continued to work with the city, Barnett Cox & Associates and StudioGood on overall
tourism marketing campaign.
Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC
Public Relations Contract
December 2015
Media Relations/Placement
1. 20 Best Under-the-radar Film Festivals in 2016
Vacation Idea highlights the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, pointing out
that “some of the screened independent films cannot be seen anywhere else outside the
festival.”
Unique Views: 280,495
http://vacationidea.com/weekend_getaways/best-under-the-radar-film-festivals.html
2. California adventure dream (Aventura soñadaen California)
Leila Cobo’s seven page spread in NEXOS, an American Airlines inflight magazine, calls
San Luis Obispo “the picturesque university town famous for its mission, vineyards and
hills.”
Circulation: 212,008
http://www.ink-live.com/emagazines/nexos/2281/december-2015/#90
Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC
Public Relations Contract
December 2015
3. Best Performing Cities
San Luis Obspo was named the tenth best performing Large Metro area in the nation by
the Milken Institute rising “14 places to join the Top 10 this year, building on its
impressive climb up the rankings last year.”
http://www.best-cities.org/bestcities.taf?rankyear=2015&type=large-cities&metro=MSLO
4. Best of 2015: Cultural Destinations
KCET Artbound article shares a list of the five “most commented, shared and viewed
stories” from 2015.
Unique Views: 363,840
http://www.kcet.org/arts/artbound/counties/best-california-destinations-2015.html
Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC
Public Relations Contract
December 2015
5. Glide through the holidays with ice skating in SLO
Santa Maria Times features WinterWonderSLO in its list family friendly activities during
the holidays.
Unique Views: 61,833
http://santamariatimes.com/news/local/military/vandenberg/glide-through-the-holidays-
with-ice-skating-in-slo/article_fd1c848b-0bbf-5d3d-8261-cd58c0bc7f8c.html
6. A SLO drive home
Ashley Stern blogs about her first time visit to San Luis Obispo on SternFrancisco.com
saying “There were a bunch of cool spots in SLO, so we will definitely be back.”
http://www.sternfrancisco.com/2015/12/a-slo-drive-home.html
Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC
Public Relations Contract
December 2015
7. City’s New Visitor Website & Videos
Noodls.com posted the press release regarding the redesigned
SanLuisObsipoVacations.com
http://www.noodls.com/viewNoodl/31240762/city-of-san-luis-obispo-ca/city8217s-new-
visitor-website--videos
8. Guess What? SLO here we come…
Two Plus Luna blogger, Lendy Salazar shares her family holiday experience in San
Luis Obispo over two blog posts that showcase large photos of both the Madonna Inn
and Apple Farm.
http://www.twoplusluna.com/2015/12/guess-what-slo-here-we-come.html
Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC
Public Relations Contract
December 2015
9. Top 10 Cities for Life Coaches
Thumbtack.com ranks San Luis Obispo within the top ten best cities for life coaches.
Unique Views: 200,000 (self-reported)
https://www.thumbtack.com/blog/lifecoach/
10. Our Road Trip Up the Coast
The Braund Bulletin
Kristyn and Mike Braund spend Thanksgiving weekend in San Luis Obispo, capturing
their hike up Poly Canyon, lunch at Firestone Grill and downtown.
http://thebraundbulletin.blogspot.com/2015/12/our-road-trip-up-coast.html
Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC
Public Relations Contract
December 2015
11. Top 10 Places to Retire in the USA – 2016
TheBestPlacetoRetire.com ranks San Luis Obispo in the top 10 places to retire in the
USA. Rankings based on area amenities and things to do, climate and weather, housing
options, cost of living, senior assistance, area demographics and job & volunteer
opportunities.
http://www.best-place-to-retire.com/top-10-places-to-retire-in-the-usa
SLOTBID AGENCY REPORT 2nd Quarter
HAPPENING NOW:
• Media, including indoor promotion, underway
• Additional “El Niño” marketing planning
• 2016 events planning
• Prep for San Diego Travel & Adventure Show
• SLO County Visitors Guide Ad
• San Francisco Chronicle Ad
• Restaurant Month ShareSLO Chef Series
• Website launch strategy, Phase 2
• Basketball suite event for TBID sales teams
• January E-Blast
SLO VACATIONS
• Weekend Sherpa E-blast
• San Diego E-blast (x2)
• New website launched
• Helium integration underway
• Enhanced ShareSLO YouTube Channel,
uploaded new videos and SEO optimization
• Ongoing SEO
• New pages
-Cal Poly Parents Weekend (Homecoming)
-Celebrate Harvest on the Central Coast
-Central Coast Railroad Festival
-Restaurant Month
-Things to Do: Horseback Riding
-Vacation Idea: Day Trips
-Vacation Idea: Winter Getaway
SHARESLO UPDATES
• Ongoing community management
• Joined Snapchat
• Events attended
-Harvest on the Coast
-Cal Poly Homecoming Football Game
(+ticket giveaway)
• Community blog posts
-Harvest on the Coast
-Learn How to Fly: Aerial Silks
-Kreuzberg Oktoberfest
-SLO Happy Hours
-Downtown Walking Tours: Café Style
-SLO’s Cast of Characters Star in Upcoming
‘Cav & Pag’
-Avila Beach Concerts at the Cove
SLOTBID AGENCY REPORT 2nd Quarter
-Favorite On-the-Go Eats in San Luis Obispo
-Favorite Wineries in SLO
-SLO it Down and SAVOR the Central Coast
-Painting the Town
-Festive Fall Things to Do in San Luis Obispo
-Appendage & Bough
-Indoor Fitness Activities
-Bike Night
-SLO Holiday Gift List
PARTNERSHIPS
• SLO Chamber
-Debuted new video at Good Morning SLO
-Distributed Wish You Were Here postcard
at Good Morning SLO
-PR campaign to promote new video series
and website
• Events
-Deliverables coordination with currently
sponsored TBID events
• CCTC
-Blog Posts
-ShareSLO Picture of the Week
-San Luis Obispo releases new travel video,
website
-All Aboard for the Central Coast Railroad Festival
-Holiday Shopping and Festivities in
San Luis Obispo
• Cal Poly Athletics
-Basketball Suite Event for TBID hoteliers
-CP Athletics Facebook page posts
-Banner ad in ongoing Athletics newsletters
-Cal Poly Alumni E-blast & Alumni Getaway
Giveaway
-Radio spots for basketball
-Homecoming game ticket giveaway
-New rotating graphics submitted for LED banner
at Mott Gym
-Soccer Visiting Teams Guide
SLOTBID AGENCY REPORT 2nd Quarter
LOOKING AHEAD:
• Website Helium Integration
• Basketball Suite Event for TBID Sales Teams
• February E-Blast
• Long Beach, San Francisco 2016 Tradeshows
• SLO Film Fest Planning
• Eroica Planning
• SLO Marathon + Half Planning
SESSIONS PAGE VIEWS USERS REFERRALS
SanLuisObispoVacations.com 16,599 33,185 14,481
m.facebook.com
slocity.org
facebook.com
GOSLO Mobile Experience 38 65 38 sunset.com
FACEBOOK
New Fans
Total Fans
Total Reach
Average Reach per post
Average Daily Page Engaged Users
Total Engagements
811
37,316
502,436
5,409
384
4,151
TWITTER
New Followers
Total Followers
Total Engagements
#ShareSLO
79
3,185
484
292
INSTAGRAM
New Followers
Total Followers
Total Engagements
#ShareSLO
337
4,420
3,907
1,287
YOUTUBE SLO Promo Video 13,503
METRICS OVERVIEW December 2015
Report to City of SLO – TBID
Phone Line and Availability Contract
December 2015
Response to TBID Advertising
Week
1
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
Dec 2015
Calls to
1-877-SLO-TOWN
8 1 1 10 20
Hotel Availability Tracker
Week
1
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
Dec 2015
Email Response 9 10 6 9 34
Phone Calls to
Hotels
29 28 32 29 118
Hotel Referrals
Week
1
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
Dec 2015
Visitors Served
(Walk-ins)
889 1,213 1,423 1,973
5,498
Farmers Market n/a n/a n/a n/a
Hotel Rooms
Referred
47 185 327
929
1,488
TOT Comparision
2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 Change +/-2014-15 2015-16 Change +/-2014-15 2015-16 Change +/-2014-15 2015-16 Change +/-
July 565,637$ 508,195$ 541,806$ 591,184$ 636,778$ 699,845$ 761,346$ 844,845$ 11.0%87.2 88.2 1.2 143.53$ 159.40$ 11.1 125.19$ 140.66$ 12.4
August 609,452$ 511,564$ 542,194$ 574,395$ 623,655$ 674,244$ 732,271$ 774,501$ 5.8%84.7 84.7 0 144.08$ 150.35$ 4.3 122.01$ 127.37$ 4.4
September 416,859$ 400,023$ 437,543$ 490,524$ 508,583$ 505,954$ 557,002$ 643,127$ 15.5%72.7 75.8 4.4 127.59$ 137.53$ 7.8 92.73$ 104.30$ 12.5
October 416,905$ 414,870$ 442,586$ 437,805$ 469,977$ 509,435$ 594,032$ 642,221$ 8.1%78 77.9 -0.2 130.39$ 140.91$ 8.1 101.68$ 109.70$ 7.9
November 354,737$ 280,913$ 330,924$ 347,437$ 359,163$ 425,769$ 475,360$ 468,016$ -1.5%67.9 64.8 -4.5 $120.78 127.19$ 5.3 $81.96 82.40$ 0.5
December 274,871$ 246,684$ 274,417$ 314,784$ 319,451$ 355,315$ 391,132$ 57 $110.50 $62.95
January 258,316$ 230,279$ 256,351$ 276,165$ 302,153$ 331,853$ 400,239$ 60.6 110.82$ 67.15$
February 292,343$ 273,373$ 302,246$ 323,359$ 344,160$ 366,980$ 431,510$ 66.8 $116.20 $77.57
March 289,506$ 326,099$ 333,783$ 392,266$ 426,879$ 448,103$ 520,795$ 70.3 121.44$ 85.32$
April 391,891$ 423,158$ 451,133$ 475,913$ 486,850$ 564,617$ 610,894$ 78 133.83$ 104.34$
May 393,431$ 372,997$ 433,874$ 447,116$ 489,862$ 546,916$ 601,614$ 70.4 137.58$ 101.05$
June 456,098$ 490,326$ 512,543$ 578,234$ 610,948$ 630,729$ 727,028$ 82 149.08$ 122.30$
Total/Average 4,720,046$ 4,478,481$ 4,859,400$ 5,249,181$ 5,578,460$ 6,059,758$ 6,803,224$ 3,372,710$ 7.8%72.97 78.28 128.82$ 143.08$ 95.35$ 112.89$
Occupancy ADR RevPAR
Figures from Smith Travel Research report
SLO TBID
Additional Marketing Funds Options 2016
Option 1)
$70,000.00 Total
Money for a rainy day! Book two consecutive nights in SLO between January – March 2016 and
get a free $100 Visa Gift Card to spend how you choose. Blackout dates apply.
Purchase 500 Visa Gift Cards - $53,000.00 (includes Visa transaction fee)
Collateral Costs - $2,000.00
Marketing the Rainy Day Deal - $15,000.00
Includes Postcards for tradeshow distribution, Eblasts, Online/Mobile Marketing, providing
content to all strategic partners all specifically focused on Money for a Rainy Day promo.
How it works: Valid on bookings made in January – March 2016 for travel dates between
January – March 2016. Book your two-night stay and email proof of room purchase to
info@sanluisobispovacations.com. You’ll be emailed a promotion code to present at the San
Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center for a $100 Visa Gift Card. Visa Gift Cards
much be picked up in person at the Visitors Center. Recipient must present proof of room stay
and a hotel room key to receive Visa Gift Card.
500 Gift Card Promos = 1,000 room stays / 37 hotels = approx. 27 extra room nights per TBID
hotel
Option 2)
$40,000.00 Total
Create additional online campaigns focusing on City of SLO TBID pillars, targeting niche markets
and devoting some marketing funds to Monterey, Santa Barbara and Ventura geo-targets.
Consider online, mobile, pre-roll and eblast campaigns and run from 1/20/16 – 4/20/16
Select top sites for Family, Arts & Culture, Food & Wine, Outdoor Adventure.
Some possibilities include: thefamilytravelfiles.com, familyvacationcritic.com,
artsandculturaltravel.com, travelandleisure.com, travelculturemag.com, foodandwine.com,
travelchannel.com
Option 3)
$25,000.00 Total
Similar strategy to Option 2, however marketing timeframe would have to be shorter, possibly
1/20/16 – 3/20/16 and reach/frequency on sites would be diminished due to lower budget.
Event(s)Organization Event Dates
Funding
Request
Amount
TBID
Recommendation
PCC
Recommendation
Recommended
Support
Subtotal Committee Notes:
Cal Poly's Open House Cal Poly Corporation April 14,15,16 2016 $ 9,600 -$ 1,250$ 1,250$
The TBID Marketing Committee did not feel this
proposal was a fit for TBID sponsorship. The
committee directed staff to discuss other sponsorship
opportunities for Open House for the committee to
consider.
Cal Poly Orientation Cal Poly Corporation July 2016 - September 2016 $ 24,000 -$ -$ -$
The TBID Marketing Committee did not feel this
proposal was a fit for TBID sponsorship. The
committee directed staff to discuss other sponsorship
opportunities for Orientation for the committee to
consider- particularly regarding opportunities with
parents.
Love SLO 2016
Mission College Prep
High School 19-Mar-16 4,250$ -$ 4,250$ 4,250$ Full sponsorship support from the PCC.
Bacon & Barrels San Diego Create Promotions May 19-20, 2016 $ 10,000 8,000$ -$ 8,000$
The TBID Marketing Committee was supportive of the
event contingent on the July 2016 event taking place in
SLO; sponsorship funding of $8000 only for
promotional aspects not for thee subsidies.
SLO Craft Beer Week Create Promotions October 16-22, 2016 30,000$ 27,000$ 3,000$ 30,000$ Full sponsorship support between the PCC and TBID.
SLO County History Tours
History Center of San
Luis Obispo County Ongoing/On Demand 18,600$ -$ -$
Both the TBID Marketing Committee and the PCC were
very interested in the tour idea however were not able
to fund the proposal as presented due to the staffing
element. The History Center should further develop
the program plan for future TBID/PCC consideration.
-$
Subtotal 96,450$ 35,000$ 8,500$ 42,250$
Remaining Allocated Events Budget 69,750$ 8,615$
Budget Remaining 34,750$ 115$
2015-16 Mid Year Event Promotion Sponsorship
Tourism Business Improvement District
Management Subcommittee
Meeting Minutes
December 22, 2015 – 3:00 pm
City Hall
PRESENT: Pearce; Harris
STAFF PRESENT: Molly Cano, Tourism Manager
BUSINESS ITEMS
1. SLO Wine Road Show Event Discussion
Heather Muran of SLO Wine Country presented various options for the Road Show event for the
committee’s review and discussion. The shows presented as options for involvement were: VinDiego;
Eat Drink SF; LA Food & Wine; CA Wine Festival. The committee discussed that all four of these
events were in line with the marketing goals of the program they had expected and were appropriate
target regions and demographics. Particularly the committee was interested in the Eat Drink SF event
in San Francisco. The committee requested that SLO Wine do further research into the event
sponsorship and representation opportunities and then follow up with the committee and/or TBID
Board.
2. Helium Launch Update
The committee reviewed the phase two launch strategy for the website which included the Helium
roll out in January. The committee approved the direction design demo for recommendation to the
Board in January for launch.
3. Homestay Update
Staff and Studio Good presented the update on the Homestay outreach and strategy for the
committee’s review and discussion. The committee reviewed the survey that was distributed to
permitted Homestay properties through staff outreach. There was a 43% response rate to the survey.
Based on the feedback received at that time, the majority of homestays would prefer to have a
qualified referral from the TBID and a have a property specific landing page through the TBID’s site.
The committee directed Studio Good to use these results to create a proposal for Homestay
representation on the website for presentation at the January Board meeting.
4. Sales & Marketing Member Event
Staffs presented the Sales & Marketing Member event strategy for the committee’s review and
discussion. The event is scheduled to take place on January 28, 2016 at the Cal Poly Basketball Suite
and will be open to the TBID member sales and marketing representatives on a limited RSVP
opportunity. The event is designed as a social opportunity for the SLO TBID member sales
representatives to get to know each other and begin to learn and interact with the TBID, staff, and
marketing team. The committee reviewed and approved the Save the Date communication piece and
directed staff to distribute it to the membership. Staff noted that the Save the Date would go out to all
members in December followed by the invitation with RSVP information in early January. The
capacity of the suite would allow for 12-15 participants. The committee commented that based on
space that 1 representative per property was recommended unless spots remained on the guest list.
5. 2014-15 Fund Balance
The committee discussed the use of the 2014-15 fund balance in the 2015-16 fiscal year. The
committee felt that using a significant portion of the fund balance for the purpose of targeted
marketing/advertising efforts during the first quarter of 2016 was very important and should be the
priority use of the funds. The committee directed staff to work with the marketing agency to create
options for marketing programs utilizing up to $70,000 of the fund balance for the TBID to consider
at the January Board meeting. The committee expressed that business is slowing due to El Nino and
other factors and a targeted program was needed.
6. New Business Items
The next Management Committee meeting is scheduled for January 26 at 3:00 pm.
Minutes (DRAFT)
Promotional Coordinating Committee
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Regular Meeting of the
Promotional Coordinating Committee
CALL TO ORDER
A Regular Meeting of the San Luis Obispo Promotional Coordinating Committee was called to
order on Wednesday, December 9, 2015 at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Hearing Room, located at
990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California, by Vice Chair Lemieux.
ROLL CALL
Present: Chair Sasha Palazzo, Committee Members Daniel Levi, Deborah Lewis, Patricia
Loosley, Clint Pearce, Stephanie Roberson, and Vice-Chair Jill Lemieux
Staff Tourism Manager Molly Cano, Senior Civil Engineer Bridget Fraser, Engineer
Present: Michael McGuire, and Recording Secretary Kevin Christian
PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS
There was no public comment on non-agenda items.
CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS
MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER PEARCE, SECOND BY COMMITTEE MEMBER
LEVI, CARRIED 6-0, to approve Consent Calendar Items C1 thru C8.
C1. MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2015
MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER PEARCE, SECOND BY COMMITTEE
MEMBER LEVI, CARRIED 6-0, to approve the Minutes of the Promotional
Coordinating Committee meeting on November, 2015, as presented.
C2. COMMUNITY PROMOTIONS BUDGET REPORT
MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER PEARCE, SECOND BY COMMITTEE
MEMBER LEVI, CARRIED 6-0, to approve the Community Promotions Budget Report.
Draft – Promotional Coordinating Committee Minutes of December 9, 2015 Page 2
City of San Luis Obispo, Title, Subtitle
C3. PUBLIC RELATIONS REPORT
MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER PEARCE, SECOND BY COMMITTEE
MEMBER LEVI, CARRIED 6-0, to approve the Public Relations Report.
C4. GRANTS-IN-AID (GIA) SUPPORT REPORT
MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER PEARCE, SECOND BY COMMITTEE
MEMBER LEVI, CARRIED 6-0, to approve the Grants-In-Aid Support Report.
C5. VISITOR CENTER REPORT
MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER PEARCE, SECOND BY COMMITTEE
MEMBER LEVI, CARRIED 6-0, to approve the Visitor Center Report.
C6. SLO HAPPENINGS PROMOTIONS REPORT
MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER PEARCE, SECOND BY COMMITTEE
MEMBER LEVI, CARRIED 6-0, to approve the SLO Happenings Promotions Report.
C7. SLO HAPPENINGS TECHNOLOGY REPORT
MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER PEARCE, SECOND BY COMMITTEE
MEMBER LEVI, CARRIED 6-0, to approve the SLO Happenings Technology Report.
C8. TOT (TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX) REPORT
MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER PEARCE, SECOND BY COMMITTEE
MEMBER LEVI, CARRIED 6-0, to approve the TOT Report.
BUSINESS ITEMS
Chair Palazzo arrived at 5:45.
1. WAYFINDING SIGN PROJECT
City Senior Civil Engineer Bridget Fraser reviewed the background of the project, noting
that it commenced in 2011; explained the timeline and budget overview for the pedestrian
component will include ten signs to be installed in the downtown area by March 2016.
Draft – Promotional Coordinating Committee Minutes of December 9, 2015 Page 3
City of San Luis Obispo, Title, Subtitle
Designer Pierre Rademaker reviewed the Downtown Map Kiosks and the City Hall Kiosk
design; noted that the primary purpose of the map kiosks is to help visitors orient
themselves near the City’s transit center, parking garages, and the Mission Plaza; added
that the principal elements of the design include: location maps, walking distance timing,
key building names, and the international information “i” symbol. Mr. Rademaker
reported that the City Hall kiosk is designed to blend with the architecture of City Hall
rather than matching the pedestrian kiosk design; noted that the three elements of the
current kiosk include: office location, public noticing, and mailboxes.
Senior Civil Engineer Fraser noted that the next phases are presentation to the Cultural
Heritage Committee, the Architectural Review Commission, and the City Council,
following final design considerations, further funding, and lastly fabrication and
installation.
The Committee discussed potential opportunities and obstacles of the project design,
providing input concerning sight impairment access, kiosk height, kiosk location, content,
and size.
MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER PEARCE, SECOND BY COMMITTEE
MEMBER LEWIS, CARRIED 7-0, to approve the current design direction.
2. MID-YEAR EVENT PROMOTION SPONSORSHIP ALLOCATION
Tourism Manager Cano noted that six applications were received for possible
sponsorship.
Holly Holiday, Director of Create Promotions spoke on the SLO Craft Beer Festival and
the Bacon and Barrels San Diego event, explaining her level of involvement; noted that
the SLO Craft Beer Festival is planned for late October 2016, adding that it will be a
week-long event and the event is targeted at the millennial and Gen-X markets; stated
that the event will showcase know Craft Beer names from around the country, including
“stars” from the Central Coast. She stated that while the Bacon and Barrels San Diego
event is not local, the intent is to further support the San Luis Obispo City brand at the
event, highlighting the products from the City.
Eva Ulz, Director of the History Center of San Luis Obispo County, explained that the
History Center’s application is to establish a history tour service; noted that the intent is
to create a history component offering it to tour companies, explaining that it would
encourage longer stays in the town; added that the revenue will fund staff time, noting
after initial funding, the project is planned to be self-sustaining.
Tourism Manager Cano reviewed the current balances: sponsorship balance, $2,515, the
Grants-In-Aid residual balance, $6,100, and the General Contract Services balance,
$10,175, noting a total possible funding of $18,790.
Draft – Promotional Coordinating Committee Minutes of December 9, 2015 Page 4
City of San Luis Obispo, Title, Subtitle
Committee Member Roberson expressed that the Love SLO project is her top preference,
prior to withdrawing from the meeting at 6:37.
The Committee discussed the funding balances and how they may be used, future needs
for the funding, and the general fit of the various projects to the Committee’s mission,
regarding promotion of the City that is designed for both residents and visitors.
The Promotional Coordinating Committee discussed the following projects:
Cal Poly’s Open House: The committee discussed support for printing only and the need
for sustainability as they have funded this project previously. Chair Palazzo abstained
from discussion due to a conflict of interest.
Cal Poly Orientation: The committee explained that the project request for the
transportation funding did not fit with the committee’s mission. Chair Palazzo abstained
from discussion due to a conflict of interest.
Love SLO 2016: The potential impacts of the project were discussed, relating to the
group’s current partnerships and the project as it aligns with the goals of the committee.
By consensus, the committee expressed support to the project.
Bacon and Barrels San Diego: By consensus, the committee explained that this project is
better suited for the Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) Board funding,
noting that this is a great project for the promotion of San Luis Obispo; encouraged the
TBID Board to support the event and requested for staff to express their support to the
TBID Board.
SLO Craft Beer Week: By consensus, the committee expressed support to the local
advertising funding request.
SLO County History Tours: The committee expressed support of the idea of the project,
noting however, that the funding of a staff position is not available at this time; expressed
concerns with the project, adding that the committee’s intent is to fund San Luis Obispo
City programs. By consensus, the committee directed staff to provide feedback to the
applicant to help focus the event in a manner that promotes the committee’s goals and is
therefore eligible for future funding.
The Committee further discussed the funding balances and how they may be used.
MOTION BY VICE CHAIR LEMIEUX, DIED FOR LACK OF SECOND, to move the
Grants-In-Aid residual balance to the Events Sponsorship budget for the non-profit
events presented.
MOTION BY VICE CHAIR LEMIEUX, SECOND BY COMMITTEE MEMBER
PEARCE, CARRIED 5-1 with committee member Levi opposed, to move the Grants-In-
Aid residual balance to the Events Sponsorship budget for support of community events.
Draft – Promotional Coordinating Committee Minutes of December 9, 2015 Page 5
City of San Luis Obispo, Title, Subtitle
MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER LEWIS, SECOND BY VICE CHAIR
LEMIEUX, CARRIED 5-0, chair Palazzo abstained, to support the Cal Poly Open house
in the amount of $1,250.
MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER LEVI, SECOND BY COMMITTEE MEMBER
LOOSLEY, CARRIED 6-0, to support the Love SLO event in the amount of $4,250.
MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER LEWIS, SECOND BY COMMITTEE
MEMBER PEARCE, CARRIED 6-0, to support the SLO Craft Beer Week event in the
amount of $3,000.
3. GIA APPLICATION REVIEW
Tourism Manager reviewed changes made to the GIA application, the overall program
budget, funding request, and media plan sections.
The Committee provided direction to staff to include check boxes with the questionnaire,
show both expenses and incomes in the budget, modify questions so that media funding
is also included in the funding priorities, and to state that printing costs are allowed for
funding.
PCC LIAISON REPORTS AND COMMUNICATION
1. GIA UPDATE
Committee Member Loosley reported that the organizers of the Noor event desire to
change their event focus. Staff explained that the funding must be returned when an event
is changed, adding that the applicant can then reapply for the funding. The Committee
clarified that the application must be presented in writing.
2. TBID (TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT) BOARD REPORT
Committee Member Pearce reported that the new web site and promotional videos have
launched; added that the booking instrument, Helium, has been authorized at milestone 5
and launches in January; stated that TBID invested in two Cows for the Cow Parade event.
3. TOURISM PROGRAM UPDATE
Tourism Manager Cano reported that the coasters order is expected December 23;
explained that the Central Coast Tourism Council (CCTC) is focusing on three potential
dates for a retreat in March; and updated the Committee on the Tourism Intern projects.
Draft – Promotional Coordinating Committee Minutes of December 9, 2015 Page 6
City of San Luis Obispo, Title, Subtitle
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 7:47 p.m. to the next Regular meeting to be held on January 13, 2016,
5:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Kevin Christian
Recording Secretary
Visit San Luis Obispo County
- What’s New -
Activity Report, December 2015
Visit San Luis Obispo County Unveils New Countywide Icon
The new Countywide Icon, recommended by the Marketing Committee and approved
by the Visit San Luis Obispo County Board of Directors, is now available on our website
in multiple versions and file formats as requested. Color and black & white versions of
the icon can be downloaded at VisitSanLuisObispoCounty.com/Countywide-Icon.
VSLOC is asking all DMOs to include this emblem in their marketing efforts and
distribute this information to your constituents in order to better help connect the
dots of the many communities and assets in the county for potential visitors.
San Luis Obispo County Restaurant Month is Here!
Visit San Luis Obispo County is once again working in partnership with Visit California to gear up for
our 9th Annual Restaurant Month, January 4 – 29, 2016. More than 50 restaurants throughout the
County are participating this year, and will be offering a three-course prix-fixe meal for $30 per
person or three-course prix-fixe menu for $40 per person. Visit San Luis Obispo County is also
partnering with SLO Wine and PRWCA to offer Local Wine Deals. For questions or more information,
please call Kylee at 805.541.8000 or email her at kyleej@visitsanluisobispocounty.com.
Visit San Luis Obispo County Welcomes Director of Marketing Becky Singh
Visit San Luis Obispo County is excited to welcome our Director of Marketing, Becky Singh. Singh brings
more than 15 years of strategic marketing and communications experience to Visit San Luis Obispo
County, having most recently worked as the Marketing and Communications Director for the Foundation
for the Performing Arts Center in San Luis Obispo. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Singh
began her career in marketing with the largest business-consulting firm in California, Armanino LLP.
Taking a detour to the Northwest, Singh worked for global innovation consultancy, Ziba, in Portland,
Oregon, and consulted with advertising agencies and on consumer brand projects, before settling on the
Central Coast in 2012. Singh and her family live in South County, where she serves on the board of
directors for the Lucia Mar Foundation for Innovation, and Pale Kai Outrigger Club in Avila Beach.
Digital Asset Management System Set to Launch this Winter
Visit San Luis Obispo County is finalizing the import of digital assets into its new digital asset
management system—the first of its kind in San Luis Obispo County. Visit San Luis Obispo
County has received thousands of photos from its local partners, providing ease of access to
media, film scouts, and to local DMOs. Training on accessing the WebDAM system and tagging
photos will be forthcoming in January, with the goal of doing a soft launch at the end of January.
The 2016 Countywide Event Calendar is now available!
Download it today from the Visit San Luis Obispo County Blog at VisitSanLuisObispoCounty.com/Blog!
Visit San Luis Obispo County Attends CalSAE Seasonal Spectacular
On December 3, Visit San Luis Obispo County Director of Travel Trade Michael Wambolt led a
delegation of representatives from SeaCrest, SpringHill Suites, Embassy Suites, the Pismo
Beach VCB and Martin Resorts to the CalSAE Seasonal Spectacular in Sacramento. The event
produced 34 qualified leads and RFPs ranging from small board retreats to major conferences.
From these leads and contacts, Visit San Luis Obispo County will be facilitating a sales mission
into the Sacramento area during the first quarter of 2016. In addition, Visit San Luis Obispo
County organized a lunch with five qualified planners who submitted an RFP during the show.
During the lunch, the lodging partners had a chance to present their properties.
Visit San Luis Obispo County is a 501c6 tourism non-profit. For more information please call (805)541-8000.
Featured on MSN:
Hearst Castle (left);
and in Chevrolet
New Roads:
Montaña de Oro
(right).
Trending
VISIT SLO COUNTY
WEB ACTIVITY
VISITS: 43,292
UNIQUE VISITORS: 34,379
PAGE VIEWS: 138,722
AVG. PAGE VIEWS/VISIT: 3.20
AVG. TIME ON SITE: 2:36
TOTAL ORGANIC TRAFFIC: 31,112
% OF ORGANIC: 72%
MOBILE VISITS: 25,072
MOST VISITED EVENT:
ROCK THE HOLIDAYS (3,461 VIEWS)
TOTAL BLOG VISITS: 13,702
MOST SHARED BLOG: WIN THE
ULTIMATE SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY
VACATION HTTP://BIT.LY/1PE9UM6
VISIT SLO COUNTY
FACEBOOK
LIKES: 13,704 NEW: 401
TOT. IMPRESSIONS: 315,681
HIGHEST ENGAGEMENT:
#12DAYSOFSLOCOUNTY: THE
ICONIC PISMO BEACH PIER LIGHTED
TREE (884 ENGAGEMENTS)
MOST LIKED:
#12DAYSOFSLOCOUNTY: THE
ICONIC PISMO BEACH PIER LIGHTED
TREE (688 LIKES)
FOLLOWERS NEW
TWITTER: 5,815 62
43.9K IMPRESSIONS
TWEETS: 6,333
PINTEREST: 627 3
PINS: 802
INSTAGRAM: 2,110 349
POSTS: 486
VISITOR GUIDE DIST.
WEB DOWNLOADS: 40
GUIDES DISTRIBUTED: 2705
TOTAL: 2745
MONTHLY E-SPECIAL
SUBSCRIBERS: 36,158
# OF OPENS: 7,058
# OF CLICK-THROUGHS: 1,253
THIS WEEK IN SLO COUNTY
CIRCULATION: 906
MOST CLICKED LINK:
Upcoming Events in San Luis
Obispo County
Public Relations
Trishna Patel, JohnnyJet.com – Paso Robles: December 28-29
Gerry Benson, Travelbiz – San Simeon: January 1
Kim Welstad, Times Colonist (Canada) – Arroyo Grande, San Luis Obispo: January 4-6
News.com.au: January 28-29
Visit California New York Media Reception: March 22
Visit California Texas Media Bootcamp: April 7-8
Media
USA TODAY – Best Historic Home Tour (Hearst Castle, #7) http://bit.ly/1UfKLNF
Sunset – A Perfect Day in Pismo Beach http://bit.ly/1RsY5Pp
New Roads – Off the Path http://bit.ly/1krjzPQ
MSN – Beaches, a castle, sipping and zipping in SLO http://bit.ly/1NPgR1d
o Also featured in Yahoo! New Zealand and GolfLink.com.au
Travel Trade
Smart Meetings Northern California Event: Jan. 6
Visit California Mexico Sales Mission: Jan. 17-21
NTA Travel Exchange: Jan. 31- Feb. 4
MPI Northern California Expo: Feb. 10
Visit SLO County to Network with Event Planners at
Smart Meetings Northern California Event
On January 6, Visit San Luis Obispo County Director of Travel Trade Michael
Wambolt will attend the Smart Meetings Northern California (Bay
Area/Silicon Valley) event at Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco. At this event, we
have 15-20 pre-scheduled appointments and networking time with the event
planners for companies such as Cisco, Lucas Films, Intel, Yahoo and Oracle.
This show will launch our sales presence into the Bay Area/Silicon Valley for
2016. Stay on the lookout for follow-up sales missions into the market!
Visit San Luis Obispo County Prepares for
First-Ever Mexico Sales Mission
For the first time in its history, Visit San Luis Obispo County is partnering with
Visit California on their 2016 Mexico Sales Mission, happening January 17-21,
2016. On this mission, Director of Travel Trade Michael Wambolt will meet
the top 100 travel agents, tour operators and media from Mexico City, Leon,
and Guadalajara. The travel trade program will include breakfast sessions and
training seminars designed to educate travel agents and the industry in the
primary and secondary markets. During the sales mission , Wambolt will have
one-on-one appointments with travel agents, tour operators and media to
pitch San Luis Obispo County and gain new sales contacts and FAM trips.
California
November 2015 vs November 2014 Lodging Statistics (STR, Inc.)
Monterey/Salinas
Santa Barbara/Santa Maria
Date: January 4, 2016
Client: Visit San Luis Obispo County
Date Range: July 1 - December 31, 2015
Total Traffic Overview:
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Visits:46,651 37,447 37,075 37,359 35,523 43,292
Unique Visitors:38,075 30,571 30,275 30,414 28,908 34,379
Bounce Rate:50%49%47%51%51%48%
Pageviews:138,129 113,518 119,020 109,772 109,024 138,722
Avg Pageviews Per Visit:2.96 3.03 3.21 2.94 3.07 3.20
Avg Time on Site:0:02:17 0:02:19 0:02:25 0:02:06 0:02:18 0:02:36
Total Organic Search Traffic:33,837 27,187 26,914 26,711 24,267 31,112
% of Traffic Organic Search:73%73%73%71%68%72%
Entry Pages From Search:2,185 2,012 2,040 1,960 1,843 1,769
Mobile/Tablet SnapShot:
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Visits:26,406 20,530 20,534 21,160 20,055 25,072 Industry Averages:
% of visits 57%55%55%57%56%58%Pages / Visit Avg. Visit Duration Bounce Rate
Bounce Rate:53%52%50%54%54%50%2.40 0:02:03 57.32%
Pageviews: 69,141 55,887 59,683 56,219 55,051 73,318
Avg Time on Site:0:01:57 0:02:08 0:02:12 0:01:51 0:02:00 0:02:20
* Visits increased 17% compared to last year.
* Unique Visitors on the main site increased 18% year over year.
* Pageviews increased 19% compared over this time last year.
* Organic traffic increased 13% year over year.
* Organic entries to the Holiday Activities page increased by 35%, and by
by 487% on the 2014 New Year's on the Central Coast blog post.
SEO Overview:
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Visits Year-Over-Year
Prior Year This Year
71.87%
18.04%
7.76% 1.68%
0.66%
Traffic Sources
Organic Search Direct Referral Social Email
Page 2 of 18
Date: January 4, 2016
Client: Visit San Luis Obispo County
Date Range: December 1-31, 2015
Organic Traffic % of Total
Site Traffic
Visits 31,112 71.87%
Organic Engagement Compared to Site Engagement
Pageviews Per Visit 3.34 4.20%
Avg. Time on Site 0:02:44 4.66%
New Visits 71.55%-0.44%
Bounce Rate 44.16%-7.52%
Search Engine Visits Percent
google 28,703 92.26%
yahoo 1,382 4.44%
bing 850 2.73%
aol 115 0.37%
ask 33 0.11%
images.google 9 0.03%
Exact Keyword Visits Percent Landing Page Visits Percent
(not provided)29,267 94.07%/events 5,123 16.47%
san luis obispo 62 0.20%/blog/778/new-years-on-the-central-coast 3,390 10.90%
san luis obispo events 22 0.07%/2,247 7.22%
new years eve san luis obispo 16 0.05%/events/all/holiday_activities 1,503 4.83%
san luis obispo christmas parade 2015 15 0.05%/events/924/lighted-boat-parade-and-tree-lighting 1,213 3.90%
san luis obispo new years eve 2015 14 0.04%/events/1867/2015-new-year-s-eve-party-at-novo 971 3.12%
events in san luis obispo 10 0.03%/restaurant-month 833 2.68%
san luis obispo map 10 0.03%/activities 565 1.82%
san luis obispo county 9 0.03%/events/461/thursday-farmers-market 481 1.55%
slo county events 9 0.03%/events/195/28th-annual-vine-street-victorian-showcase 422 1.36%
Organic Search Traffic:
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Organic Visits Comparison
Prior Year Current Year
Page 3 of 18
Date: January 4, 2016
Client: Visit San Luis Obispo County
Date Range: December 1 - 31, 2015
Demographics & Interests
Affinity Categories:
Top 10 Affinity Categories Visits
Movie Lovers 14,959
TV Lovers 13,574
Cooking Enthusiasts/Aspiring Chefs 13,536
News Junkies & Avid Readers/Entertainment & Celebrity News Junkies 11,939
News Junkies & Avid Readers 11,440
Travel Buffs 10,886
Technophiles 10,115
Shoppers/Shopaholics 9,800
Home Decor Enthusiasts 9,205
Health & Fitness Buffs 8,571
Other Categories:
Top 10 Categories Visits
Arts & Entertainment/Celebrities & Entertainment News 8,259
News/Weather 8,076
Arts & Entertainment/TV & Video/Online Video 6,495
Food & Drink/Cooking & Recipes 6,271
Shopping/Consumer Resources/Coupons & Discount Offers 4,128
Reference/General Reference/Dictionaries & Encyclopedias 3,715
Real Estate/Real Estate Listings 3,413
Food & Drink/Food/Baked Goods 3,314
Travel/Air Travel 2,606
Internet & Telecom/Email & Messaging 2,601
Affinity Categories broaden the scope to identify users in terms of
lifestyle; for example, Technophiles, Sports Fans, and Cooking
Enthusiasts. These categories are defined in a similar way to TV
audiences, and represent an opportunity to understand the behavior
of your audience.
Other Categories are used to classify groups of users based on the
specific content they consume, along with how recently and
frequently they consume that content. This category data provides a
more focused view of your users, and lets you analyze behavior more
narrowly than Affinity Categories.
* Per Google
9.28%
16.62%
11.22% 8.90% 10.60%
5.60%
4.57%
8.82%
7.35%
6.17%
6.15%
4.72%
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
Age Group by Gender Male
Female
Page 4 of 18
Date: January 4, 2016
Client: Visit San Luis Obispo County
Date Range: December 1 - 31, 2015
Top Content:Geographic:
Top Landing Pages Entrances
/events 6,260
/3,883
/blog/778/new-years-on-the-central-coast 3,837
/restaurant-month 2,435
/events/all/holiday_activities 1,690
/events/924/lighted-boat-parade-and-tree-lighting 1,439
/events/1867/2015-new-year-s-eve-party-at-novo 1,039
/our-area 729
/activities 619
/events/461/thursday-farmers-market 562
Top Content Pages Pageviews
/events 12,164
/blog/778/new-years-on-the-central-coast 7,082
/restaurant-month 7,020
/5,654
/events/all/holiday_activities 4,330
/events/2641/rock-the-holidays 3,461
/events/2593/cambria-christmas-market 2,283
/events/1867/2015-new-year-s-eve-party-at-novo 1,900
/events/924/lighted-boat-parade-and-tree-lighting 1,632
/our-area 1,598
Top Exit Pages Exits
/events 2,727
/blog/778/new-years-on-the-central-coast 2,570
/2,147
/restaurant-month 2,128
/events/924/lighted-boat-parade-and-tree-lighting 1,318
/events/2593/cambria-christmas-market 854
/events/2641/rock-the-holidays 822
/events/all/holiday_activities 791
/events/1867/2015-new-year-s-eve-party-at-novo 773
/our-area 754
11%
11% 11% 5% 4%
3%
2% 2%
2%
2%
46%
Top Cities Los Angeles
San Luis Obispo
San Francisco
Paso Robles
Atascadero
Arroyo Grande
Baywood-Los Osos
Santa Maria
Morro Bay
Nipomo
Other
88.4%
1.3%
1.1% 1.0%
0.8%
0.6%
0.6%
0.5%
0.5% 0.5%
4.5%
Top States California
Georgia
Texas
New York
Arizona
Washington
Oregon
Nevada
Colorado
Illinois
Other
36.83%
20.17%
18.19%
3.99% 3.35%
2.69% 1.70% 1.59% 1.25%
1.13%
9.13%
Top Metros Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-San Luis Obispo CA
Los Angeles CA
San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose CA
Fresno-Visalia CA
Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto CA
Monterey-Salinas CA
San Diego CA
Bakersfield CA
Atlanta GA
New York NY
Other
Page 5 of 18
Date: January 4, 2016
Client: Visit San Luis Obispo County
Date Range: December 1 - 31, 2015
In-MarketVs Vistor:
6,892
11,327
0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000
In-Market
Out of Market
Desktop Visits
7,180
17,892
0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000 18,000 20,000
In-Market
Out of Market
Mobile/Tablet Visits
62.17%
37.83%
71.36%
28.64%
Page 6 of 18